A/N: Back already! I love this weekend. So yah, hope you enjoy. R&R.
It was way too early. I swear the sun couldn't have been up. But everyone was moving and there was Goyle, gently prodding my shoulder, telling me that I had better hurry if I wanted breakfast. Being prodded awake is extremely unpleasant, not to mention stinking annoying if the person continues to prod after you have told him quite distinctly to go away.
I finally sat up groggily and found that I had just flopped onto the bed the previous night and had not changed into pajamas or actually gotten in bed. Just on. I hadn't brushed my teeth either, which accounted for the disgusting feeling all over the inside of my mouth. Gross.
My head felt fuzzy. Not outside, but inside. Like there was a buzzing or something right in the middle of my brain. Closing my eyes felt strange and gritty. I needed to shower. What I really wanted to do was go back to sleep, but I knew I needed to get up. I had to go deliver the charm. For the plan. To make Potter's life miserable.
Argh.
But I swear it felt like the middle of the night, even with the morning sunlight streaming in from the east window. I decided that sunshine was entirely abominable, and should be against The Rules.
First, I brushed my teeth, and then I changed. Everyone had already filed out the door and gone to breakfast. After making sure I was presentable – I couldn't really expect more at that point – I grabbed the charms from the table next to my bed, and exited stage left.
At the thought of this all being some ridiculous scene in a twisted theatre, I started to giggle. Yes, giggle. Suddenly, everything in the whole world was funny. Geez, I was tired. It was ridiculous, how tired I was. But then, a lot of things seemed ridiculous lately.
Trotting down the hall, I silently hoped that Granger would still be at breakfast. It didn't seem likely, as she was usually there early, like me. Maybe she was up late too. Doing what? She wouldn't be there, I knew it.
But she was. Sitting quietly apart from the rest of the people scarfing down some last-minute bacon and eggs.
The smell of hot food was heavenly. Steam still rose from a few dishes along the tables.
I slid onto the bench about midway down and looked over to where she sat. She wasn't digging into any of the delicious-looking food around her, but sat slowly stirring a bowl of porridge. Her hair was messy today and she looked tired.
Now or never, I guess.
I pulled the dragon out and set in on the table, screening it with some food dishes in case she looked up my way. Activating the animation charm, I placed the box in its small claws and waited for some late owls to come in with post for their owners. In the flurry of activity, I let it go.
She didn't notice at first, the dark little creature gliding majestically towards her. I sat back and admired my work. It was quite good. Everything was just right. A charm to impress anyone.
She finally did notice, as it touched down right in front of her and upset the serving spoon in a dish of eggs. The spoonful of eggs went clattering to the table and she started as it slid the small box in front of her bowl. For a moment, she sat there staring down at it with wonder. That's right, admire it. It is pretty amazing, if I do say so myself. And I do.
She slowly reached down and drew the ribbon off of the box. Opening the lid, she slid back on her seat as a tendril of smoke slipped out. She glanced warily between it and the dragon, which had decided to ramble about on the table in front of her. After seemingly deciding that the smoke was not dangerous, she watched intently as it began to twist and turn to form words. It had been so hard to learn how to get it to do that, but it was working.
Her eyes were wide as she read the short message. I couldn't read it from where I was, but I already knew what it said – Please accept my deepest apologies. I hadn't thought of anything else to say, since I was already stretching the truth with the "deepest" part.
As the smoke dissipated, she sat still staring at where it had been. Then she looked down the table, straight at Potter.
What! Like Potter could do anything like that charm! How could she think it was him I was infuriated, but after a moment, managed to force my face into a calm mask.
She turned back to the box and dragon, which was now curled up inside the now-empty serving spoon. She shook her head, and seemed confused. You can't seriously think it was Potter, can you? Apparently not, for then she looked up and along my table until she caught my eye.
When she realized that it was truly from me, she looked shocked. After a few moments of sitting there with her head slightly tilted and her mouth hanging slightly opened, she recovered herself and took another look at the dragon and the box. When she finally looked up again, she looked as if she were trying to figure out what was going on, eyes narrowed with misgivings. Waiting to discover what her final reaction might be was agony: patience is not my strong point. Just decide! Yes or No! How hard is that?
After what seemed an interminable amount of time, she silently nodded her head and, carefully scooping the dragon and the box off of the table, stood and left the hall.
I had succeeded! Triumph! I felt giddy, but I think it was caused by the exhaustion. I decided that I would definitely sleep through History of Magic today, if I could.
It turned out that I could, and did. Because I went straight to the classroom from the hall, while everyone else was milling about aimlessly, I had the choice of any seat I wanted. I chose the one in the back left corner, farthest away from the podium that Bins spoke from. The windows faced west, so there wasn't much sunlight yet, thankfully.
As other students shuffled in and the classroom slowly filled, Professor Bins' view of me was obscured and I was able to put my head down. Peaceful darkness enveloped me, disturbed only by the slow, monotonic drawl of the professor, which was actually quite soothing. What seemed an instant later, I was awakened by a scuffling clattering of chairs as everyone was standing up and filing out. What? Over already?
I rubbed my bleary eyes as I shuffled out with no recollection of anything in the lecture, wondering what I was going to do when we were inevitably tested on the subject. I wasn't even sure what the homework was, if we even had any. Doubtless, we did.
Apparently the lack of sleep and groggy feeling had thrown off my depth perception cause I ran smack into a Ravenclaw third-year, spilling her armful of books and dropping my bag. As we each tried to recover our belongings, careful not to switch any items up, I noticed a note sticking out one of my textbooks. Double-checking to make sure it was mine, I gathered it with the rest of my junk, packing it roughly back into my bag. I stood, muttered an apology, and went on my way. I was apologizing all over the place today, wasn't I? It was ridiculous. But then, what wasn't?
After turning a corner and retreating to a niche in the wall, I dug the note out of the mess that was my bag. It was from Granger, saying to meet her in the same place after lunch. Based on her tone, it was as if the whole troublesome matter had never happened. I decided it would be best if I said nothing about it either.
Folding the paper up, I stuffed it into my pocket and went off to Potions filled with much regret. I wouldn't be able to sleep through potions, Snape was like a hawk. Especially with that beak-nose of his. I was able to suppress a giggle before it came out. But then I started to imagine him flapping around with giant wings. Laughter came bubbling up and I couldn't repress it this time. It burst forth, producing what must have been a very strange sound as it left my throat. That, of course, earned me funny looks from passersby. That stopped the laughter.
I entered the potions classroom and sat down, wondering how the rest of this extremely odd day would progress.
A/N: So yah, written all in one night! dance dance I saw The Importance of Being Earnest the other night. Very cute, very funny. Go see it. Now! Anyways, currently listening to Hoobastank.
